


Alleyway Anxiety

by awkwardanxiousasexual



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex Has Anxiety (Julie and The Phantoms), Angst, Anxiety, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, Overthinking, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:14:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28118295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardanxiousasexual/pseuds/awkwardanxiousasexual
Summary: Today is going to be fun. Alex makes a point of it. He’s on a date with his super-cool boyfriend. This is something he would have dreamed about back in the nineties. Something he was always slightly too scared to pursue. This date isn't going to be ruined by him overthinking. He is going to have fun.
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 113





	Alleyway Anxiety

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this request I got-
> 
> "Would you consider writing another one like this, that is more Willex focused? Like willie helps Alex while he’s having an anxiety spiral" -ThornBaker

“Hey Alex, you coming?” Willie stands a few feet in front of him, waiting eagerly. 

He nods, “Yeah, lead the way.” Willie smiles and skates off as Alex lets out a shaky breath and follows him.

Today is going to be fun. Alex makes a point of it. He’s on a date with his super-cool boyfriend. This is something he would have dreamed about back in the nineties. Something he was always slightly too scared to pursue. This date isn't going to be ruined by him overthinking. He is going to have fun. 

Alex follows Willie down the crowded sidewalk, taking care to dodge the many people walking because he’s too in his head to remember that he’ll phase right through them. Every once and a while Willie will turn back to make sure that Alex is still close behind. Alex returns the passing glances with a reassuring smile. He’s not going to ruin tonight. 

Eventually, Willie stops at a street corner and picks up his skateboard. Alex jogs a little to meet him and glances around the unassuming street. “Are we there yet?” Willie still hasn’t told him exactly where they’re going. Apparently it will ‘ruin the surprise.’

“No, but we’re close. Figured that we would just walk the rest of the way.”

“Ok, cool.” Alex shoves his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his feet slightly. Willie stares at him silently for a moment, eyebrows furrowed. _Why isn’t he saying anything? What did I do wrong now? I messed up. I messed everything up_. Eventually, he smiles and begins leading Alex down the street. 

Alex walks alongside Willie, staring at his own feet most of the trip. Willie is being more quiet than usual which is kind of surprising because Willie never runs out of things to say. It’s part of why Alex likes him so much. He would listen to Willie talk for a lifetime (or an after-lifetime if he’s being accurate). 

He should say something. It’s weird that neither of them are saying anything. He should break the silence. Alex really wants to talk and have a normal conversation but he can’t. Everytime he tries to say anything it feels like his jaw has been wired shut. 

_He can’t talk, it’ll be stupid. He’ll sound stupid. If Willie wanted them to be talking he would have started the conversation himself. It’s not like he has anything interesting to say any-_

Next thing Alex knows he’s running headfirst into Willie. Immediately, he steps backwards and hurriedly mumbles out a “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Willie puts his skateboard down on the ground and waits expectantly. 

For the first time, Alex takes notice of his surroundings. Willie has led him straight into an alleyway. He gestures and the wet gravel-like path and the dirty brick walls, “Wow, very romantic.”

He laughs and steps a few feet forward. “This isn’t the date dummy,” Willie takes both of Alex’s hands. “Something’s up with you today and I don’t know what.”

He quickly yanks his hands out of Willies grasp. _Deny, deny, deny!_. “What? I’m fine dude, let’s go.” He starts walking back towards the street but runs into an extended arm. 

Willie looks at him sadly ( _See? You’re ruining it._ ) “Alex, come on man something’s up with you.”

“Nothing’s wrong. I told you when we met that I’m just an anxious person, remember?” Alex keeps trying to breathe but it feels like the air is hitting a wall in his throat and he isn’t getting any oxygen. Shaking hands worm their way back into his pockets and he is strongly resisting the urge to pace. _Pacing makes you look nervous. You can't look nervous, just keep smiling like nothings wrong. Eventually he's going to believe you._

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong.” He leans against a wall and slips one hand into the pocket of his jeans as if to say, ‘I’m not budging.’

_Fuck_

Alex breaks. “Everything’s wrong Willie!” He gives into his urge to pace, walking hurriedly back and forth in front of his patient boyfriend. “What if Caleb finds out that we didn’t cross over? Or that you helped us? Or that you know we’re still alive? He still owns your soul and he’s probably going to be pissed about all of this. What if he finds out that Julie can get rid of his stamp? He could come after her and she’s still alive! I don’t want to hurt her.”

“Look-” Willie interjects but Alex still isn’t finished. 

“Speaking of Julie, what about our band? What if someone recognizes us? Bobby won’t admit to knowing us because he stole all our songs but what if an old fan stumbles across a video? Or someone from our family? I don’t even want to think about what I would do if my parents realize that I’m a ghost.” He takes a deep breath and tries to let it out as slowly as he can. “It’s just… we’re ghosts man. On top of the regular dealing with death and accepting that ghosts exist, I have to come to terms with the fact that an evil ghost with magical powers is hunting us down and we’re playing in a combination alive and dead band! And everyone else is acting like nothing crazy is going on!”

“Okay,” Willie says. “Let’s sit down.”

He looks at the ground. “I mean, this alley is kind of gross, dude.”

Willie gives him a tight smile, like he’s trying to hold in a laugh. “You’re dead. The cleanliness of the floor doesn’t really matter. We’re sitting down because you need to chill for a second.”

“But...okay,” he mumbles out before sitting down begrudgingly. “Now what?”

“Just breathe for a minute.”

“Aren’t you the one trying to remind me that I’m dead?”

This time Willie chuckles and lets one of his hands settle comfortably on Alex’s knee. “Ghosts still breathe. We don’t need to and we could technically stop if we wanted to but we breathe anyway. I think it’s a mental thing.” He pauses to squeeze Alex’s knee slightly and lovingly adds, “Just do it, alright?”

He does. It helps, even if he isn’t going to admit it to Willie right now. After a minute, Willie speaks up again. 

“Even if Caleb finds you guys, you don’t have his stamp anymore. He doesn’t have power over you.”

Alex turns so he’s looking Willie in the eye. “But what about y-”

“Don’t worry about me Alex.” The tone of his voice is more forceful than Alex has ever heard it and he’s taken aback for a second. “I mean it. I’ve been with Caleb a long time, I know his tricks. I can avoid him pretty well. Besides, after Julie got rid of your stamp, I’ve been inspired. I started looking into ways to get rid of Caleb. For good. And hopefully, help every ghost at his club.” 

He attempts for a smile, but Alex can’t help but wonder if the Caleb issue is worrying Willie more than he’s saying. “And don’t worry about being recognized. Julie can just make some announcement about how you’re computer generated based loosely on an old band that she found on the internet. Throw in enough science jargon and people will believe it. It works in all the Marvel movies.”

Alex sighs and drags his hands slowly over his face, ‘Sorry, this was stupid.”

He stands up. “The stupid part was that you tried to pretend it wasn’t happening.’ Willie holds out a hand to help him up. “Look, no matter what crazy, horrible thing happens, we’re going to handle it together alright?”

Alex takes the hand and pulls himself up. “That goes for you too, ok?” He wraps an arm around Willie’s shoulder. “So, where are we heading?”

“The movie theater,” he says, pointing down the street. 

“What movie are we seeing?”

“Up to you”

“You know,” Alex chuckles, “I have a feeling that these dates are less about the event and more about the fact that you like being a ghost who can sneak into places.”

“Well,” Willie says, leaning his head onto Alex’s shoulder as they approach the theater, “I know I like sneaking into places with _you._

**Author's Note:**

> Hoped you liked it!


End file.
